Colour terms and intensifying constructions in Italian = Termes de couleur et constructions intensifiantes en italien

This investigation proposes a corpus-based description of Italian intensifying constructions including colour terms. Colour terms may be employed as intensification markers in intensifying colour constructions, i.e., ready-made syntactic patterns containing colour terms that have an intensifying function. The paper aims at identifying and classifying different patterns of Italian intensifying colour constructions using syntactic/semantic parameters. These constructions can convey different types and degrees of intensified meanings and can be arranged along an intensification cline. Taking into account data gathered from the ITTenTen16 corpus, the analysis identifies the abstract semantic schemata underlying intensifying colour constructions (e.g., the metonymic/metaphoric scale association), and explores the relation between colour terms and schemata, in terms of degrees of lexicalisation/constructionalisation and pattern productivity.